LOVE, with caveats: The Urban Decay All Nighter Liquid Foundation

I hadn't intended to buy new makeup any time soon - I have too much! - but it all started when I wandered into the Urban Decay store in Suria KLCC Mall. I was in Kuala Lumpur recently and was stunned to see their international beauty choices; certainly, in some ways, better than what we have here in the Philippines. Now if only Urban Decay would skedaddle over here soon then the scales would be a little more even! We don't even have it at Sephora.ph, pff. Something about how L'Oreal the company has to be the one to bring it in. It's almost too easy to forget that Urban Decay was here in the PH maybe 10, 15 years ago.

Anyway, I grabbed the Urban Decay All Nighter Liquid Foundation (RM 155 or ~P1,800) while I was visiting. The sales lady also offered 30 ringgit off (tourist discount) if my purchase reached up to RM 200 so I got two other things to avail of the discount. I'm glad I did, because I'm really loving everything so far!

I haven't read up on the All Nighter Liquid Foundation and so don't have any prejudices against it. The reviews, I found out later, were lukewarm. But I'd beg to disagree. I think this foundation is amazing for my combination skin and I don't regret the cash I blew on it! Here's why:

The coverage is H-E-A-V-Y. It's so heavy, I don't even need to wear concealer any more! It can cover up serious hyperpigmentation as well as my (albeit light) dark circles. It has a matte finish that registers well on camera; there is no white flash.

The staying power is a winner! I've worn this for up to 10 hours with minimal fading, even though I've been outside. It is not entirely waterproof as claimed on the label; it fades around the nose when I play tennis, but I give it credit for not disappearing after two hours of sweating it out in a boiler slash indoor tennis court. On a normal, active day, I can stake my life on it. And no I don't need primer!

I oil up much less with this compared to other liquid foundations. I observe that I shine around 4-4.5 hours after application, which is a huge deal (I normally oil up in 2 hours). I have combination oily skin.

I got a great shade match with 4.0 - I am NC35 for your reference. It starts off quite yellow and a bit light at first, but darkens to match my skin tone once it dries. People have reported that it oxidizes so best to get a shade match in person, if possible.

A little goes a long way. A pump and a half is more than enough to cover my whole face plus blemishes.

Love the packaging! The bottle is edgy and unique; it looks expensive.

This isn't even a fresh application of the foundation! I was out for FOUR hours BEFORE this photo was taken and only retouched my t-zone lightly. I LOVE how the All Nighter stays on!

There are, however, a few caveats you might like to know:

This is not a foundation for every day wear. The coverage is not a joke, and it's very hard to sheer it down! I do like using it on select areas though, more like concealer, so there's a good trick. I won't recommend it for casual days as it really announces its foundation-ness to the world.

It sets quickly, so I won't recommend using brushes or your fingers with this. You have to use a wet sponge (I go for my Beauty Blender) to ensure that it's evened out all over the skin. Work fast and get it right while it's still damp.

Since it's super long-wearing and water-resistant, you have to remove it with an oil cleanser or at least two passes of micellar water. Make sure everything is off before you proceed to your facial wash.

Overall, while I can't say that the Urban Decay All Nighter Liquid Foundation is for everyone, it will serve those who are extra oily and sweaty well. The coverage is also a marvel of technology so get this if hyperpigmentation is your mortal enemy! It's perfect for me since I go to events which require a good amount of makeup plus I play tennis too, so there are lots of situations when I need something like this. But if you're more of a casual makeup-wearer, well, this might not be your cup of tea! There's also the fact that it's not available in the PH but then again there are always resellers and shipping boxes.